SSS-Ranked Summoner: Only I Summon All Heroes And Heroines Of Legend-Chapter 48: Phase 2: Might Of The Niten Ichi-ryu
The fox’s body finished reforming around the blade, its yellow eyes wide with shock.
It tried to dissolve again.
But it couldn’t.
The sword was pinning it in place, nailing it to the forest floor like a specimen in a display case.
Larix let out a choked whimper, its legs kicking weakly as blood pooled around its head.
Musashi released the sword, leaving it embedded in the fox’s skull.
Then he moved.
Fast.
He crossed the distance to Omar in three long strides, his short sword still gripped firmly in his right hand. The blade came up, stopping just inches from Omar’s throat.
Omar froze, his eyes wide.
"Call it back," Musashi said quietly. "Or I finish this."
Omar’s hands trembled. "I... I can’t. It’s pinned—"
"Then dismiss it," Musashi interrupted. "Now."
Omar’s jaw worked silently for a moment. Then, with shaking hands, he made the gesture. The summoning seal on his wrist flared briefly, and Larix dissolved into smoke—this time permanently, returning to the seal.
Musashi’s long sword clattered to the ground where the fox had been.
He didn’t pick it up yet.
Because above them, the jellyfish was descending.
---
Millot’s summon dropped through the mist like a falling parachute, its transparent body pulsing with faint bioluminescent light. The tentacles spread wide, crackling with electricity that arced between them like miniature lightning bolts.
"Pulse!" Millot shouted, his voice cracking with panic.
The jellyfish responded immediately.
Its tentacles whipped forward, releasing multiple arcs of electricity that tore through the air toward Musashi.
Musashi’s quickly kicked Omar away from the range before twisting sideways as the first bolt sizzled past his shoulder. The second came lower, aimed at his legs.
He jumped.
Not high—just enough to let the bolt pass underneath him. His feet touched down lightly, and he was already moving forward.
The third bolt was unavoidable at this angle.
So he didn’t try to avoid it.
His short sword came up, blade angled precisely, and the electrical arc struck the steel surface with a sharp CRACK. The energy dispersed along the blade’s length, grounding harmlessly through Musashi’s controlled stance.
The jellyfish pulsed again, releasing another barrage.
Musashi ran straight into it.
His short sword moved in a blur, deflecting bolt after bolt with minimal effort. Each strike redirected the electricity just enough to keep it from connecting with his body. Sparks showered around him, but none found their mark.
He closed the distance.
The jellyfish’s tentacles lashed out defensively, trying to wrap around Musashi’s arms and legs.
His short sword flashed three times in quick succession.
Three tentacles fell to the ground, severed cleanly at their base. They writhed on the forest floor, still crackling with residual electricity.
The jellyfish recoiled, its remaining tentacles pulling back toward its body.
Musashi jumped quickly, giving no room for recuperation.
He planted one foot on a low tree root, using it as a springboard to launch himself upward. His short sword swept in a wide arc, cutting through two more tentacles mid-flight.
The jellyfish wheezed, as it tried to ascend in a bid to escape.
But Musashi caught the edge of its bell-shaped body with his free hand. His fingers dug into the translucent flesh, and he pulled himself up onto it like climbing onto a floating platform.
The creature pulsed frantically, electricity coursing across its entire surface.
Musashi withstood it’s effect, as he drove his short sword straight down through the center of its body.
The jellyfish convulsed once. Twice.
Then it went limp.
Musashi rode it down as it sank slowly toward the ground, stepping off just before it hit the dirt. The creature dissolved into faint motes of light, returning to Millot’s summoning seal.
Musashi straightened, his short sword still in left hand, he stretched his right hand towards the katana and the blade immediately returned to his grip.
Before turning to face Omar and Millot, both of whom stood frozen in the mist.
"Surrender," Musashi said simply. "This is over."
---
Millot’s hands shot up immediately. "I surrender! I’m done!"
His voice was high, panicked, and he took several steps backward as if to physically distance himself from the fight.
Omar’s jaw clenched. "You coward—"
"Oh shut up you freshman!" Millot snapped back, his fear overriding his caution. "Look around! We lost! Just accept it!"
Omar’s fists trembled at his sides. His breathing was ragged, his face flushed with a mix of rage and humiliation.
Musashi took a single step forward. "Your friend is smarter than you. Listen to him."
"I don’t—" Omar started.
"You do," Musashi interrupted, his tone still calm but edged with finality. "Your summon is dismissed. And you’re standing in front of a blade that just cut through everything you had."
He paused, letting Omar come to the realization.
"There’s no shame in surrender. Only in refusing to recognize when you’ve been outmatched."
Omar’s shoulders sagged slightly. The fight drained out of him all at once, leaving only exhaustion and defeat.
"Fine," he muttered, barely audible. "We surrender."
Musashi nodded. "Good choice."
He sheathed both blades in a single fluid motion.
Then he held out his hand. "Tags. Both of you."
Millot fumbled in his pocket immediately, pulling out a glowing rune-inscribed tag and practically handing it to Musashi. "Here! Take it!"
Omar moved more slowly. His hand went to his pocket, fingers closing around his team’s tag. For a moment, he just stood there, staring at it.
Then he placed it in Musashi’s waiting palm.
Musashi closed his fingers around both tags, securing them carefully.
He glanced up toward the tree where Altair had been positioned. "Master, we’re done here."
---
The mist began to clear, and Altair dropped from the branches, landing lightly beside Musashi. He received the tags from Musashi before turning to Omar and Millot.
"Where’s Duncan?" Altair asked.
Millot gestured weakly toward the trees. "He’s... he’s still back there. Unconscious. The orc’s wounds transferred back through the bond when it died."
Altair nodded. "And the archer?"
"She surrendered," came a voice from above. The archer was still in her tree, hands raised. "I’m not stupid enough to keep fighting after that."
Altair nodded once, then he turned back to Omar. "You came here to kill me. You said so yourself."
Omar said nothing, his jaw clenched.
"But I’m not going to kill you," Altair continued. "Because that’s not what this is about."
He gestured broadly at the forest around them.
"This is an exam, not a war. You lost. That’s it, learn from it and move on."
Omar’s eyes flicked up, meeting Altair’s for just a moment. There was something broken in his expression—humiliation mixed with grudging respect.
"Go find Duncan," Altair said. "Get him to the tower. You’ve still got time to pass if you can steal someone else’s tag."
He paused.
"You know what, you can have this back, I only need one tag."
He said returning Omar’s tag back to him.
Omar gave a single, stiff nod and accepted the tag.
Altair turned and walked away, Finn jogging up to join him from where he’d been watching at a safe distance.
Musashi followed a step behind.
---
As they disappeared out of their sight, Omar sank to his knees.
Millot stood beside him, silent and shaken.
The archer climbed down from her tree slowly, landing beside them with a soft thud.
"We got destroyed," she said quietly.
"No shit Sherlock," Omar retorted.
He looked down at his hands.
For the first time in a long time, Omar Hassan felt truly small.
---
Altair checked his phone as they walked deeper into the forest.
71:17:52
They’d lost nearly forty-five minutes in that fight. But they’d gained one tags.
Which meant Altair now had enough points to pass comfortably—assuming they made it to the Red Tower without losing everything.
Finn walked beside him, still processing what he’d just missed, he heard noises, but when the mist cleared all the Slykharns had surrendered.
He looked at Altair a bit different, wondering. "How strong has he become?"
They continued deeper into the forest, the Red Tower waiting somewhere in the distance.
